Former football stars praise Bengaluru’s AFC Cup feat

Days before Bengaluru FC’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup final with Iraq’s Air Force FC, yesteryear heroes praised the I-League champions efforts in writing a new chapter in Indian football’s history.

Bengaluru are the first Indian club to reach the final of any continental competition. They will face Air Force FC in the summit clash on November 5 in Doha, Qatar.

Arumainayagam, who was an integral part of the Indian football team which won the Gold in the Asian Games 1962, sounded euphoric on Bengaluru FC’s feat.

“I have no words to express how I felt when the referee blew the final whistle in the second semi-final. In the last three years, Bengaluru FC have established themselves as a footballing powerhouse. Now they have gone one step above to send out a message to the entire Continent,

“It’s the first time an Indian club have gone so far in any continental tournament and I hope they will go all out to win the final frontier as well,” Arumainagayam wished the reigning I-League champions.

Former India Skipper Venkatesh Shanmugam said, “Incorporating a corporate team in the I-League fraternity was a masterstroke by All India Football Federation.

“Bengaluru FC have shown to all as to how a club needs to run. Right from building a Team to create a fan base, they have dug deep to create an outright professionally run football club.”

“It’s a complete team game and right from the ball boys to the CEO of the Club, everyone is part of the system and very much aware of their respective responsibilities. That’s how the system should run, like a well-oiled machine,” added the Indian national team’s manager.

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